Should I have hope?

C/B Lattanzio

5-Year Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2012
Messages
99
Hi guys just wanted to post my thoughts.

OK.

So, freshman year I had mediocre Grades,
Math 75 :mad:
Bio 85
History 85
English H 80
Spanish 68 :)unhappy:)
(Note, all but English here weren’t honors)

Now, that I had USNA, or USMA as my collage goals I stepped up my school work, Even though my grades look roughly the same, the work is much harder.
Chem H 81
AP History 88
English H 83
Spanish 77 (not too happy about this)

My one problem is my math grade, for semester 1, it’s going to be around a 65-70 I fear, and it will just be a big black blob on my admission hopes. However, Me and my Math teacher are working hard to bring this up, in conjunction with my tutor.

On a Side note,
I got a 34 on the ACT math and english.
I do work more than 10 hours a week,
I do have 100+ Community service hours as of now,
I run varsity track, x-country, and I swim for the school,
I'm in the school newspaper, and I started the,
Militarily history club, which I'm the president of,
I am on the Mock trial team,
I have extreme Family hardship,
I also am 99% of the way to Eagle Scout,
Lastly, I'm in Civil Air Patrol.

So, that's all for my rant, and my question to you is:
Do you think, If I give it my all, I could still get into USNA or USMA?
Thanks for reading.
 
I'm guessing these are on a 100-point scale, correct? It's been awhile since I was in high school, and to tell you the truth, I can't remember how we did grades, but I just wanted to make sure I'm reading this correctly.

If it is on a 100-points scale, and you're generally looking at B's, C's and D's (are the angry red faces D's?), I don't think it's looking too good. You're competing with 4.0ers who get A's and more A's.

And I'll tell you wait, as great as people do in high school, it is harder at an academy. My graduated school GPA was 1.24 higher than my undergrad CGA GPA. Granted, I was living in the "2.0 good to go" and "D is for Done" mindset at CGA, I found my grades at CGA SIGNIFICANTLY lower than my high school grades, and my high school grades were higher than the grades you've list (and were 100% honors and APs). I don't say that to scare you. I certainly don't say that to pump myself up (my classmates were bigger fish than me). Just know, that's who you're competing with, and any academy wants to find people who will succeed and not be overwhelmed by the school.

That said, your ACT score is good and you have great activities. I don't know what year your in, but you may also have time to bring up your grades and show great improvement.

There's no harm in applying, and the worst they can do is say "no," but to be reasonable, you should also make sure you have other options lines up, including ROTC if your goal is to serve.

Don't give up hope, but give yourself options, even a 4.0 Nation Merit finalist with 100 APs should give himself options.
 
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C/B Lattanzio - As you already know your academics are your weak point. Your other activities look great, especially if you are accomplishing that while enduring a family hardship. Finish up that Eagle Scout and shoot for President or Team Captain of some of those organizations. I commend you on addressing the math by working with the teacher and getting a tutor. Since the academies are really engineering schools you must get those grades up, especially the math. Math will be your foundation and also your toughest subject at the Academy.

You might want to consider cutting back on some of your extra-curricular activities to focus on those grades if you think that will help. Maybe the newspaper and mock trial stuff? Also, transfer leadership of the Military History Club next year. Part of leadership is being able to successfully transition your role to someone else and still have the organization endure. However, you know what activities are chewing up your time and whether time available for homework is really impacting your grades or if there are other issues. I commend you on taking responsibility to achieve your goal at such a young age. Good Luck! :thumb:
 
Hope is always. It springs eternal.

As you know and your candid, genuine question illuminates, you already know what the answer might be.

Your profile of past performance doesn't match-up well with the collective profile of successful appointees. As you implied and I acknowledged, you know this though.

But ... you've really asked 2 questions as you note
Do you think, If I give it my all, I could still get into USNA or USMA?

1. Does your profile lend hope for a SA? Of course it does, despite your past performance not projecting well about your future performance (relative to the competition in these arenas.) But hope is hope!

2. Far more important is your implicit question ... Should you bother giving it your all? The short answer is OF COURSE! Good things happen when we do our best. Even if not necessarily what we have pre-determined as "good things."

And here is what any and all on here can definitively answer. To the degree that you marginalize or minimize your effort, you will fail for sure. When hope, faith, focus, and hard work come together, good things happen. Remove any one of those and dreams fade.

Why would you do any less than your butt-busting best going forward?

I believe THAT is your answer.
 
I applied in 2010 and got accepted into the Foundation program (I am now a Youngster at the academy).

This is what I can tell you:

Grades, SAT scores, all that other junk comes second to the fact that you will do whatever it takes to get here. I had a 3.0 in high school, average SAT scores, average everything, yet I got in cause it was my dream and I made it my life mission to come here. If this is your dream, if you were born for the purpose of coming to the Naval Academy and serving your country, then you will find a way to get in.

On the other hand... if you are unsure or hesitant then having average grades doesn't look to good. Kids who are unsure and get accepted have perfect everything.

If I were you, use the essay in the application and your BG officer interview to show how determined you are. Determination is more important than grades.

Hope this helps!
 
If this is your dream, if you were born for the purpose of coming to the Naval Academy and serving your country, then you will find a way to get in.

I understand where this is coming from and what you're going for, but I can't help but disagree. There are thousands and thousands of applicants, hopefuls or others who have a dream to attend, and aren't able to.

I had a friend in high school who applied to USNA at the same time I was applying to USCGA. He didn't get in to USNA, and instead went to VMI.

Is he serving? Sure! He's a ANG pilot. He loved the Naval Academy. It was his dream. He got good grades. He played sports.

But at some point reality CAN conflict with dreams. The less prepared you are for that, the more painful it can be.

I'm sure many people subscribe to "hope for the best, plan for the worst." Try your hardest to bring up those grades. Hope that that work is enough. Plan for it not to be.
 
^^^^^

I agree. The fact someone didn't get into USNA doesn't mean it was not a dream or that he/she didn't give it his/her all. Every year on these boards, we seem many dreams crushed.

That said, most of those who don't get into USNA have happy endings and very successfull lives. They find that their Plan B is pretty terrific and make the most of it.

For the OP, keep striving. Whether it helps with USNA or not, it will definitely help with life.
 
The only insight I have to give is that you must realize that each year, thousands of kids apply who are just as involved as you are and are able to maintain a 4.0 as well. And even then, some of those kids are turned away.
 
On a positive note, your ACT score is quite good, your Eagle Scout award will be great to have and you have ample service and atheletics. Your focus really needs to be on your grades. Laser focus on that area. Seek extra help if needed.
To me, an outsider looking in, it seems like you have mainly just that one area to really improve upon.
S
 
In response, I'm pretty sure by the end of the year i will have an "A" for all classes, for the 3rd and 4th quarter; so that should work out.
If I can do that, and take challenging classes Jr. and Sr. year, cupped with better ACT, and SAT grades, I think i can get into USNA, NAPS, or the founders program, witch reminds me, can someone explain to me what the founders program is?
 
Hope

give it your all, work on Math, but know as said previously that many many qualified candidates don't get an appointment each year, our DS is working on plan E and loving it! If you had told me last year at this time that he would have received an AROTC scholarship to his third choice school I never would have believed you but there he is and sometimes, it's good not to get what you want.
 
No Way to Know Unless You Try

So, that's all for my rant, and my question to you is:
Do you think, If I give it my all, I could still get into USNA or USMA?
Thanks for reading.

You've received some very wise counsel here and I'll just add my two cents worth. To answer your question above, there is no sure way to tell. You've received good input about your record but something that is not mentioned often are the evaluations you will be asked for from your math and english teachers. Also, we don't know how your interview with your Blue and Gold Officer will go and what he'll have to say. Bottom line is there is always hope unless you quit. You can't be blamed for someone who is "smarter" than you, but you can be blamed for being out worked by your competition. Decide what you want, commit to it and give it your best efforts. Once you've given it your all, things tend to work out the best.
Cheers.
 
Thanks Everybody for their imput, and I'll be sure to post more of what happens to me in the coming months and years.
 
Thanks Everybody for their imput, and I'll be sure to post more of what happens to me in the coming months and years.

You've got so much time to turn grades around and build up a better report card. Work hard and stay focused on your goals! Good luck! :thumb:
 
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